


The Road to Recovery is a Long One (but i will stand with you)

by FreeGrain



Category: Girls of Paper and Fire Series - Natasha Ngan
Genre: F/F, Modern AU, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Recovery, Therapy, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24028720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreeGrain/pseuds/FreeGrain
Summary: Her heart was like a war drum, beating until it drowned out all the noise, blood filling her ears with a roar."Lei!"Someone was calling her name from far away but she could barely hear them.The Demon King lay beneath her, body going limp as his life blood drained from him.Finally free from the cruel human trafficker known as the Demon King, Lei finds her old life waiting for her. But she's changed, she's different. And it isn't easy to return.{Lei x Wren}{Leiwren}
Relationships: Lei/Wren (Girls of Paper and Fire)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So hi! This is my first time writing something like this ☺️ I hope nothing is insensitive or wrong so if it is, please let me know so I can learn. Anyway, I _love_ this book series and can't wait for the last one! Please enjoy!

Her heart was like a war drum, beating until it drowned out all the noise, blood filling her ears with a roar. 

"Lei!" 

Someone was calling her name from far away but she could barely hear them. 

The Demon King lay beneath her, body going limp as his life blood drained from him. 

How long had she dreamed of this moment? The moment when she drove a knife straight through his throat until he choked and drowned in himself. She and the other girls had been plotting this for months, each step calculated to bring them to this point. She should be ecstatic. 

Yet all she felt was numb. 

"Lei!" 

Footsteps across the grass. Like her heart thudding in a rhythmic beat, louder as they approached. 

His henchmen would be here any second—maybe they were already here. It was rare the Demon King was left alone. She’d led him out into the garden, found the knife he always carried and tried to kill him. 

He’d been expecting her. 

A mighty kick shattered a rib and he was so much stronger than her. It didn’t stop her. The pain burned away with rage and a desire to protect. Lei was no warrior but she would fight for those she loved. 

A hand grabbed her shoulder and Lei shrieked. Her free hand connected with hard muscle but then they jerked away. 

"It's me, Lei!" Wren gasped. “I’m here!” 

Lei froze on the spot. There was still blood on her hands, trickling down her arm to stain her torn sleeves. His blood. He stopped moving. 

"We have to go!" 

The house was far away. An alarm rang, sharp and shrill through the air. She jumped. It was just her life at stake. 

"The others-" 

"Have already gotten out!" Wren didn't try touch her again but she knelt before her. "Lei, we need to go. Please." 

She knew that. If they lingered, there was every chance they'd be caught and then who knew what would happen to them? The people of the Hidden Palace weren’t kind. She could still remember the horror on Mariko’s face as she was dragged from her room—never to be seen again. 

She stood up from his body, unable to let go of the knife. It was now a part of her—as a killer. A murderer. 

Wren offered her her hand, not caring when blood stained her skin too. A gentle squeeze and tug after her. 

And then they ran. 

They ran and ran, into the night and beyond to where there could only be freedom. The forest around the Hidden Palace was dense, a blessing she only realised now. If the guards came for them, they’d have to come on foot. 

In the distance, she heard sirens. Police sirens. 

"Did you-?" 

"One of the twins found a phone on a guard," Wren answered, breath heavy. 

It was over. There was too much evidence for them to hide. Once the police arrived, they didn’t stand a chance. She hoped they all rotted in prison. 

Except for the Demon King. She hoped he rotted in hell. 

They ran to the sirens, the light her saving grace in the darkness. 

"Hey!" a voice yelled as torchlight sought them out. "There's another two here!" 

Through the light Lei caught sight of Aoki, huddled in a blanket with another officer talking gently to her. She'd made it out okay. 

Of all of them, Aoki had been the nicest to her. Even Wren, though she loved her, had been cold at first. But not Aoki. She'd tried to make the best of their changed lives. And maybe that was why she fell so much. 

Aoki had been the most reluctant with the plan, claiming that the Demon King loved her. 

But when it came to human trafficking, it was clear he loved no one. 

"It's okay, you're safe!" the officer shouted as he scrambled down the ditch to her. “We can help you!” 

He reached for her and his hand settled on her bare arm. Lei flinched away as if he burned. 

"Don't touch her," Wren shouted. 

Lei didn't think she could handle skin on skin contact, especially not with a man. Each touch reminded her of him, of how he hurt and abused her. 

But the officer backed off unlike the Demon King. 

"Please, come with us. We're going to help you." 

Wren was only holding her hand but it was like a magnet dragging her forward. And she couldn't resist. But it was that pulled that she so needed then. Because if not for Wren, she might not have moved at all. 

They crested the ditch and emerged out onto the road. She saw that Chenna was already in a car, head bloodied but very much alive. Another officer tended to her. 

"We're missing people," Lei breathed. 

At first there'd been nine. And then eight. 

Finally their number was reduced to seven and then they knew something needed to happen before it was six. 

"How many more?" the officer asked. 

"Three." 

The twins and Blue. 

Lei wished them safety. They all had to make it out alive. After what they'd suffered the world wouldn't be so cruel to pull them away. 

The officer grabbed his phone and started calling back for more help. 

They would need a lot more. 

Lei didn't know how many people had been in the Demon King's home but a lot. Enough to keep girls trapped and contained like they were no better than animals. Enough to guard the entire mansion and then the walls surrounding. If they decided to protect their own, it would be a bloodbath. 

"Hey, I'm going to check you for injuries," another officer said, coming over. "Is that okay?" 

Lei nodded. 

The officer was respectful, only touching her when she couldn't help it. But Lei was on edge, every touch feeling like a slap until she reached her side. Where the Demon King kicked her. 

"That seems broken," the officer said, stepping away. "Please come with me." 

They hadn't arrived with the right medical equipment for this. Lei wondered what the twin had said to get them here. How much she'd told them. Did they know what happened in the Hidden Palace? 

Wren followed, not wanting to leave her side. There was blood down her arm too. 

As Lei got into the car, she caught sight of officers with Zhin and Zhen emerging from the forest. 

And that left one. 

As much as Lei disliked Blue, she knew she was a victim too. It was hard to hate someone who had been so cruelly broken. 

"We're going to a hospital, okay?" It was the first officer who climbed into the car with them. "That rib needs proper medical attention." 

Maybe it had been the rush of adrenaline but Lei hasn't even noticed it hurt. Now it did, like a constant pounding in her side. Each breath hurt. 

She'd have been spiralling if not for Wren next to her. 

"What's your name?" Wren asked the officer. 

He seemed kind, a little rough around the edges but kind. He smiled at them, looking almost like a wolf. 

"Kenzo." 

And then he started driving while the rest of his coworkers helped the other Paper Girls. They'd soon be following them. Back to the city with no walls surrounding them. Lei leaned against Wren as the countryside whipped by. 

The last few hours had been a blur. 

She wondered what the Demon King's people were doing. With his death, the figurehead of the ring had fallen and the police were onto them. Would they run? And if so, where to? 

She knew they couldn't have been the only girls he'd taken. There had to be others. The Demon King spoke of others when he was drunk, other places where girls were sent to. For the seven they'd managed to save, hundreds more suffered. 

Wren's breathing was comforting. A steady rhythm that she focused on when the world spun around her. 

"It's okay," Wren murmured. "I got you." 

Lei didn't think she'd be able to sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes she saw him, like it was burned into her eyelids. The way his mouth opened as she thrust the dagger into his throat. And his jaw slackening and his struggles ceasing. 

She thought she'd never be able to walk past it to the darkness she so craved. 

But she did. The darkness swallowed her and held her in its cold embrace.

* * *

When she was finally released from the hospital, Lei saw Baba and Tien waiting for her. 

And it was like the whole world stopped. 

"Baba! Tien!" 

She'd dreamed of seeing them again but the dream had been so far from reality. She couldn't believe it. So Lei stumbled across the room and threw herself into their arms. 

"Ach! Ow, wait!" 

They hugged her back which she hadn't remembered would hurt. 

"Sorry," she winced. "I have a few broken ribs." 

"Don't say sorry," Baba gasped, eyes beginning to weep. "I just… my baby girl, safe and sound." 

Lei couldn't remember the last time she saw her dad cry. Well, except on her mother's anniversary. He liked to hide it but she wasn't stupid. 

Even Tien, who was often snide and snip-ish with her, burst into tears. "I'm so glad you're safe!" 

"Don't go getting all emotional on me," Lei teased. 

How long had she been away from home? 

She'd counted the days in the beginning but after a while, they all started to blur together. The routine was the same, a twisted attempt at normality. They pretended they were royalty, treated them as so. 

Her mind went to her maid, Lill. A child really, another victim caught in the Demon King's trap. 

Lei had wanted to get her out too but it was too dangerous. Besides, Zelle had promised to keep her safe. 

But who would keep Zelle safe? 

No one had reported back on what happened yet, presumably waiting until they were in better health but it just made her worry. For as many culprits there were victims. There were other people she'd come to care about. She wanted them safe too. But the world often wasn’t so lucky. 

Baba wrapped her in a hug again and Lei sighed. She was safe. She was home. 

"Come on, dear," Baba murmured. "Let's go." 

Baba wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they started to walk out. Lei ignored the prickling feeling she got and focused only on his warmth. Her Baba, finally her with her. 

Wren was sitting in the waiting room, alone. But the moment they walked in, she was on her feet, relief flooding through her. 

" _Lei_." 

This was the first time they'd seen each other since Lei had been taken off for an x-ray. Her ribs were obviously broken but they needed to be sure where and how many. The process had taken longer than she knew, dead of her feet and wanting to go home. 

But part of her lit up when she saw her. 

"Wren." 

Even tired, she couldn't stop herself from running to her. 

Lei detached herself from her dad and stumbled across the room to her. Wren’s arms were waiting and she sank into them. Wren murmured something to her but she couldn’t hear her probably. And yet, the gentle rumble from her chest sent warmth all through her. Warmth and love. 

Then she remembered that she wasn't alone. Baba and Tien followed, looking confused but also friendly. 

Lei stepped back, wiping at her eyes. 

"Wren, this is my Baba and Tien. This is Wren." 

Wren took Baba's offered hand and shook it. "I am pleased to finally meet you. Lei had told me all about you two." 

It was true. In the darkest of times, Lei clung to memories of how life used to be, of all the happy memories. And with that came Baba and Tien and then eventually her mother. 

"Nice to meet you too. Who are...?" 

"I was another Paper Girl," Wren replied, with a barely detectable tremble. 

"She is also… special," Lei tried. "To _me._ " 

They were in love. 

But all the time they hadn't dared dream of what they could be beyond the walls. Lei wanted to spend her life with her. They didn't have any labels yet. But she hoped they understood. 

Wren nodded awkwardly, noticing the slight shift in her dad and Tien. 

It was all a shock, to all of them. The escape, being back in real life and everything moved so fast. She’d dreamed that they might have been able to meet under different circumstances but unfortunately not. Now they had to deal with whatever life threw at them. 

"What are you doing here?" Lei asked. 

Surely she'd have been let out ages ago. Her family would have come and then she would have left. 

"Waiting for you." Wren's smile was soft. "I saw the others. Aoki, Zhin and Zhen have left with their families." 

"What about your family?" 

Wren touched her hand, barely a touch compared to their past but it was electric. "I saw them. They've gone onto the police station, looking to see what can be done." 

About the Demon King. 

"I couldn't go without seeing you." 

And Lei didn't want to go anywhere without her. 

But that wasn’t happening at the moment. 

"The doctors advise rest at home for the time being," Baba said. "Wren, um, would you…?" 

Wren shook her head. "I wouldn't intrude on family reunions. I just… had to see you again, Lei." 

Lei wanted to argue that Wren was her family now. 

"Don't worry," Wren reassured her. "We'll see each other soon. I promise." 

But how long was soon? 

"Okay." 

Wren dropped a kiss to her forehead. "Go. Be with your family." 

Not another touch but a soft squeeze to her hand. Lei left the hospital with Baba and Tien, sparing one glance back at the woman she loved. Wren smiled and then vanished from view. Lei climbed into the passenger seat while Baba into the driver's seat. This time, Tien didn't come with them. 

Tears trickled down her cheeks as they said goodbye. 

But this time it wasn't a permanent goodbye. She'd see her again along with everyone else. 

"I don't know what to say," Baba said quietly as they drove. "Because I can't describe how it is to have you safe." 

Lei understood the feeling. She thought she'd be trapped there forever, forced to bed the Demon King and sit back while he did the same to every other girl around her. She dreamed of coming home. Now she was home and free of him forever. 

"It's okay." She reached across and touched his hand. "I get it. I'm glad to be home." 

Another wave of tears gathered at his eyes but he blinked them away before he let them fall. 

There weren't much more words between them because there was nothing to say. She knew he wanted to but couldn't. She knew she wanted to but couldn't. 

When Lei got through the door, a wave of familiar crashed over her. She’d almost forgotten what her home smelt liked. 

“Bao!” 

Her dog came bounding out to greet them, tail wagging and eyes bright. 

She crouched and he barreled into her. 

“He missed you. The house was empty when it was just the two of us.” 

Lei looked up. “Baba…” 

Now that she was home, what would she do? She stood in her room, staring at everything that was hers. Her books, her clothes, her bed that hadn't been slept in in months. She was safe. 

And as she usually did when left a moment to herself, her mind strayed to Wren. She wondered what she was doing. 

Lei headed into the sitting room where her dad was fiddling with the TV. He looked up, brighting when he saw her. “I thought… well, like old times. We can watch a movie again.” 

And pretend like everything was back to normal. It wasn’t but honestly, Lei wasn’t ready. She could go a night where she acted like everything was okay. 

She missed him. 

Lei fell asleep curled next to her Baba, Bao sitting on her lap. Her dog nestled closer to her and fell asleep too. 

She swore she felt another presence settle on the other side of her. 

_Mama_. 

A wind like ice brushed against her arm. Like she was here, watching over them. 

Everything was okay. Different but everything was okay.

* * *

A few days of recovering and respite was granted to every one of the girls. But then Kenzo called to the door, asking if she was able to come down to the station. He wanted a statement, something on paper that would help with the investigation. 

Lei didn’t want to talk about what happened. But she owed it to every other girl that hadn’t been lucky enough to escape. 

“So…” Baba said on the drive. “Wren seems like a lovely girl.” 

“She is.” 

Lei had no words to describe what she felt about Wren. Because no matter what she saw, how many praises she sang, it would never be enough. Wren was too much for words alone. 

Baba nodded. "Are you sure about?" 

“What are you trying to ask?” 

And he shifted uncomfortably. “Lei, you’ve been through a traumatic experience. I just… want you to be careful. And certain about the people around you.” 

“Baba! How can you say that?” 

He didn’t know Wren like she did. Lei opened her mouth to defend her but she didn't need to. 

Baba shook his head. “I’m sorry. I worry. A lot. I just… want you to be safe with your people.” 

He meant well. And Lei couldn’t fault him for that. 

She sighed. 

“I love her.” 

She was young to fall in love but what they’d experienced together aged her years beyond what she should. She didn’t doubt in her soul that she wanted to be with Wren. 

“Does she love you back?” 

“Yeah. She does.” 

And Baba nodded. “Okay then. I trust you.” 

The rest of the ride was quiet but honestly, she didn’t mind. She was still adjusting to everything. Talking… wasn’t as easy as she’d thought. And Baba respected her. They pulled up outside the station. 

“Are you sure you want to go alone?” 

She nodded. This was something only she could do. 

Lei dodged past a crowd of people to make it to the receptionist. Someone brushed by her and she almost screamed. But she covered her mouth and just kept walking. The receptionist directed her down a corridor.

Her footsteps were slow. She didn't know what to expect, or what she wanted to happen. Justice, for everyone who'd been hurt by the Hidden Palace. 

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared out of one of the doors. 

“Ah, you’re here!” Kenzo smiled, giving her a small wave. “It’s good to see you okay. The others are in the back.” 

Lei was the last one to join—reminding her of when she first arrived to the Hidden Palace. It was similar. A strange place full of people she didn't know, walking through the door to see the seven, then eight, others. But today was different. It was changed. And nothing like that was going to happen again. 

Aoki was who she saw first—mainly because her friend ran into her arms the moment she saw her. 

“Lei!” 

“Ow, watch the ribs!” 

Aoki stepped back, gasping. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t- I’m just so glad to see you!” 

And she had to laugh and give her an affectionate squeeze. “You and me too.” 

She counted seven others in the room, making her the eighth to join. Every one of them had made it out. 

The final seven together in a room, free from him and his people. They’d never thought this day would come. 

But there had been nine in the beginning. Two lost. Two that had been too young to fall. She hadn’t known Rue for long but she’d known Mariko. 

And those were two families who would never be whole again. 

Wren was sitting in the corner, slightly apart from the others. She'd never grown close to anyone but her, trying to distance herself so it wouldn't hurt when they lost. But she hadn't been able to help herself when it came to them. 

Lei sat down next to her. 

Around the room, everyone was recovering nicely. Chenna was sporting a bandage but her eyes were bright with a flame that only came from freedom. 

“Okay-” It was Kenzo again, walking into the room cautiously. “Hi, I’m Kenzo. I’ll be working with you today.”

The room was quiet. 

“Are you ready?” 

Like breathes were being held, the room tensed. 

Wren’s fingers brushed the back of her hand, gentle. 

Lei raised her head and met his gaze. Fear might hold her back but she'd never let it break her. 

“Yes.”

* * *

The process was long and painful over the course of several weeks. Each of them were interviewed and statements recorded. A therapist talked with them, gently recovering the story of the Paper Girls. 

It was hard to relive what had happened but slowly, after time, Lei talked. She talked about the other people, how she watched them suffer. Lill and Zelle had been recovered and were under police protection while they worked on finding the other sites. She was relieved to hear it. 

She didn’t talk about herself. 

Of course, there were parts she had to talk about. It was her prints that were found on the Demon King’s body, on the knife that slit his throat. 

There was no doubt that it had been self defence but they still needed her account. 

She hated it. 

His face was burned into her mind, haunting her with every step. His cruel laughter, the _feeling_ of his _hands_ on her skin- 

She hated every second of it. 

But she talked and talked until she no longer had words to say. So she stared at the wall and just breathed. In silence. And her therapist said nothing, just letting her. And she breathed again. 

“Hey.” Wren stood by the wall across the hall when she emerged from her session. “Can we talk?” 

And in the past several weeks, Wren had been nothing but distant. A few fleeting touches, the brush of a hand, a lingering glance but nothing more. 

Lei knew she was hurting too but she selfishly needed her. Wren had been her rock and without her… she was coping but not well. 

Lei rubbed her eyes hastily. “Sure.” 

Wren’s gaze was sympathetic. Together they walked down the hall and found an empty room. It wasn't the police station like the first few times. A new place. 

"Have you been avoiding me?" 

Wren winced. "I am sorry. I needed time." 

And Lei wasn't so selfish to demand that for herself. 

"Are you okay?" Wren asked. 

"Okay? Are any of us okay?" 

Wren nodded. "I know. It's… hard." 

They tried having group therapy sessions but it was quickly made clear it wouldn't work. The Demon King had twisted memories in minds so it wasn't clear what happened. Trauma stole some from others. 

Aoki struggled to believe that he hadn't been worth saving. She was a special case, Lei had heard someone say. Would need extra help to recover. 

"That's an understatement." 

They sat down at a table, next to each other but not touching. The air between them hummed with energy—shy. Unlike before. 

But it wasn't the same as before. And so neither were they. 

Wren placed her hand on the table, palm facing the ceiling. Lei had come to know those fingers like her own, the way they curled ever so slightly when she got angry, how they felt. 

Lei took it. 

"I missed you." 

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you." 

"You don't have to be." 

But those dark eyes were so kind, so warm that Lei wanted to drown in them. 

"We haven't talked since that day," Wren said softly. "Do you want to?" 

Talk? About what? About everything? About how everything was over but they still bore the scars. How her life had been thrown off balance. 

Lei shrugged. "I don't know." 

Wren nodded. "I…" 

"Do you?" 

"I was worried about you." Wren looked down and then back up again, visibly distraught. "That night. I know it was your job to kill him but it should have been me." 

"We couldn't have planned who he'd choose." 

"I could have found a way." 

A way? A way to get herself killed? 

They both knew deep down that the only person who could have killed him was the Paper Girl he chose that night. Out of the seven, they'd all been ready to do it, to risk everything. Well, maybe all except Aoki. 

"Do you feel guilty?" 

Wren looked startled by her question. 

"Is that why you've been avoiding me? Because you felt guilty?" 

Wren glanced at the floor, fingers tightening around hers. "He could have killed you. He almost did. And I wouldn't have been there to protect you." 

"You might be some legendary martial artist but you can't protect me from everything. Besides," Lei nudged her, "I'm pretty tough myself." 

Wren chuckled. "I think I know that." 

"Do you want to come home with me?" Lei asked suddenly. 

"What?" 

"To meet my Baba. He wants to meet you—properly. Your first introduction was… weird." 

She'd never brought anyone home to meet the parent. Wren would be the first. And hopefully the last. 

A thumb brushed across her hand as Wren smiled. 

"I'd like that." 

In the Hidden Palace, they'd met in desperation and passion. But outside, it was slow and growing. 

Small steps. One at a time. Healing. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo, as promised, here is the second chapter! I hope you enjoy ☺️

And small steps they were. 

Wren met Baba and Bao, warming to the little dog instantly. 

Lei met her parents, and her cat. 

She remembered the first time she'd lain eyes on her and likened her to a cat. 

And gradually the world kept spinning. 

Kenzo kept in touch, updating them on what was happening. He'd been promoted to head this case. And he was good. 

They'd found another Hidden Palace in the county next to them, under the guise of a private mansion in the mountains. Now with two taken down, it was becoming easier to find them. 

The real question was how many more was there to find? And how many weren't like the Hidden Palace? How many girls had been stolen from their homes and imprisoned to serve the men who took them? His work would never end. 

"Do you ever think of going back to school?" Wren asked one day as they walked through the town's park. 

"Maybe." 

She hadn't really thought about it. School was the furthest thing in her mind. 

"What about you?" 

"I had a scholarship to the best dance University in the country." 

"Dance? I can see that. You were pretty amazing-..." 

_In the Hidden Palace._

She remembered learning the dances the Demon King wanted them to perform. She'd never been any good at them but Wren- Wren had outshone them all. 

And the Demon King noticed, for after her performance he called her to his room and Lei could only watch as she walked through those doors. 

"What would you like to do?" Wren said gently, steering her away from old memories. 

"I don't know. I mean, I like working with Baba and Tien." She hadn't before, before everything it had been a chore to pass the day. Now she was cherishing every moment of it. She never realised what she had until she lost it. "I like our little shop." 

Maybe she didn't have to dream big because everything she needed was right in front of her. 

"Would you still dance? Go to the university?" 

Wren nodded. "Even if the scholarship was still available, I wouldn't take it anyway." 

"What? Why not?" 

Dark eyes flickered to hers. "It's far away. I don't think I could be away from my family—or you." 

"Hey, we could be long distance." 

Wren laughed. "Oh, I don't think so." 

"Huh? Why not?" Lei spun around and planned her feet. 

"Because," Wren chuckled, winking playful. "I don't think I could spend so long without touching you." 

"But you haven't touched me since… the…" She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "The Hidden Palace." 

Wren lifted her brows. "You haven't wanted me to." 

"What? Don't be… what?" 

Something flickered in those soft eyes. "Oh, Lei, I've noticed how you shy away from people touching you. I've been watching you—you can't stand the feeling of your skin against someone else's." Wren lifted their hands. "We've only held hands since." 

"...what? But…" 

The thing was, that was true. Even accidental touches made her skin crawl and her stomach churn to the point where she thought she might be sick. But that was just being unused to so many people again… right? An uneasy feeling settled in her. But… 

"We all have our triggers, Lei," Wren murmured. "It's not something to be ashamed of." 

But she couldn't even touch her own girlfriend. 

"But I _want_ to touch you." 

"And I would love you to. But you can't force it." 

Even now as they leaned against each other, Lei was all too aware of the clothes separating their skin. Of how she never wore short sleeves anymore. Skirts had been out of the question long ago. 

She inhaled. It seemed healing was a lot harder than it seemed. 

"What about you? Do you…?" 

Wren's expression flickered. "I…" 

"You don't have to say." 

"No. I want to tell you." The hand holding Lei's tightened for a second before gently releasing to a loose grip. "Do you remember that night when he called me? Just after we'd first kissed?" 

Lei would never forget it. They'd both known that he'd call one of them eventually, there was no way around it. It hadn't helped the fire in her heart, instead nursed it until it was a raging inferno to burn the Palace down She nodded. 

"Do you remember what he did to me?" 

She remembered the dark purple across her shoulders, along her hips. And the handprint he bruised onto her throat. 

"I don't think I'll ever forget it." Hot anger had pulsed through her that night and it returned again. Because how _dare_ he lay a hand on her? 

"The bruises didn't heal for weeks. And each time I saw them, I was reminded of what he did. I couldn't stand his mark on me." 

A memory flashed before her eyes, of one of their intimate nights where Wren lay before her. A kiss to her throat and down, nipping along her collarbones. 

And Wren had stopped her, guiding her mouth back to hers each time. 

"You didn't like when I bit you." 

"Oh no, I loved it when you bite," Wren smiled. "I just couldn't bear what they left behind." 

They'd been careful not to leave lovebites or hickeys for fear of being caught but where Wren had sucked on her pulse point, Lei did not return the favour. 

"That's why you were so gentle after that." Shame coiled within her. "I'm sorry I didn't notice." 

"Don't be. It's not you who should be sorry. The man who should is dead and burning down below." 

He might be gone but they bore his scars—they were just invisible. 

Lei leaned into her. Together. Safe. 

"Aoki has Stockholm syndrome—or something like it." 

Aoki was a poor sweet girl taken advantage of. She believed the Demon King thought she was special, treated her better for it. And she fell for him, in the twisted sense of the word. 

"Blue's been admitted for special care." 

She'd lost her head after what happened to Mariko. Mariko had been her best friend in there but when she'd been dragged screaming, Blue fell apart. 

All the rest were going to therapy for PTSD-like symptoms—them included. 

Lei was slowly beginning to open up. It wasn't easy and dragged up memories she'd much rather forget. But her therapist was kind and never pushed her. 

Lei sighed and rested her head on her shoulder. The ocean-like scent that clung to her girlfriend swept into her lungs. Familiar. 

"I love you," she murmured. 

Soft fingers brushed her palm. 

"I love you too."

* * *

"Hey, Lei? Will you help me with this?" 

Lei turned to see Tien struggling with the day's deliveries. The one that she was supposed to bring to the back. She’d taken the order and gotten distracted by the heat. In the past weeks they’d entered summer and with that brought sun and warmth. 

So she sought out a drink and took off her jacket. 

“Oh, Tien! I’m sorry, I meant to do that earlier.” 

Lei rushed over and grabbed the nearest box. 

“It’s okay.” 

There were a dozen boxes or so, stacked full of supplies. Together they moved the deliveries into the back where they’d later be sorted out. 

“People forget. It’s fine.” 

Lei arched an eyebrow. This was the fourth time in a week she'd done something wrong and Tien hadn't as much as said a word against her. At this point, it was getting weird. “Tien. Seriously. You don’t have to walk around on eggshells with me. I’m fine.” 

Tien had been so nice to her since she came back. 

Tien cleared her throat. “Actually… since you’ve been gone, I’ve been reflecting a lot. I often treated you unfairly. But now I have a chance to right that, I will. So… I’m trying to be nicer.” 

Lei's jaw dropped. 

Tien flushed. "Don't make a fuss! You're still a nuisance!" 

"And she's back." 

Tien rolled her eyes. 

Lei picked at the nearest box's seal and looked back up. "But seriously… thank you. When I was in the Hidden Palace, I often thought of home. And you and the shop." 

Tien's whole face lit up and before Lei could stop her, she hugged her. 

Lei froze, the brush of her arms against hers. She'd taken off her jacket for the heat, leaving her skin free to the world. 

But this time the feeling was different, less sickening. She hugged back, trying to still the rapid beat of her heart. 

She was back in his room again, his hands forcing her down. 

But it wasn't him. Instead it was Tien holding her in the dark. 

And she could breathe again. 

When Tien stepped back, Lei could feel herself crying. 

"Oh, dear! I didn't-" 

"No, no, no. Happy tears. Happy," she reassured her, dabbing at her eyes. 

Tien still looked worried. 

"You're my family," she said, trying to explain. "I… you mean so much to me. I…" 

Tien seemed to swell, eyes widening. "Oh, Lei…" She fished a tissue out of her pocket and offered it to her. "I love you too." 

It was the small steps, the ones she didn't even know she was taking. Bringing her further down the road.

* * *

"Can I kiss you?" 

The door just swung closed behind her and Wren looked at her in surprise. 

"Of course. You don't have to ask." 

Lei shook her head. "I want to try… just feel things out. Test boundaries." 

"Are you sure?" Wren asked. 

And Lei nodded. She knew she wasn't ready for much. But she wanted to see where she stood. She loved Wren so deeply and trusted her more than herself. 

Wren sat down on her bed. "I won't touch you, I promise." 

Lei slowly made her way across the room, taking Wren in all her splendour. Her girlfriend was gorgeous. She gazed at her through hooded lids, waiting for her move. 

One swift movement and Lei straddled her. 

Wren's breath hitched. Fingers tightened around the sheets below her. 

Lei dipped her head and kissed her. It was the first time they'd kissed since their escape. 

Wren's lips parted beneath hers, deepening at a slow pace. 

Lei touched her face, drawing worn fingertips down the plains of her cheeks. To her neck, around the back of her head, _holding_ her like she never wanted to let go. She could breathe. 

Wren shifted beneath her. Her hands gripped the sheets tighter and one—just one—swift movement of her hips sent heating searing through Lei's core. 

Lei broke off gently and exhaled, chest rising and falling. 

"Hey," Wren breathed, resting her forehead against hers. "How was that?" 

"Good. Really good." 

Lei dropped her hands to Wren's, gently entwining their fingers. She leaned closer, inhaling her scent and letting it wash over her. 

Wren's eyes were soft when she pulled back. 

"I don't think I'm ready for anything more… but we can kiss again…" 

"If you're okay with that." 

She liked that Wren was giving her all control, letting her set the pace. Because she didn't know if she'd be able to do it otherwise. But she made her feel so safe and loved, it was almost so easy. 

Lei kissed her again, this time keeping her hands on hers to pin them to the bed. 

Wren groaned in her throat, like music to her ears. Her tongue brushed hers before pressing into her mouth. 

A gentle squeeze of her thighs earned her a whimper. A whimper. From _Wren_. 

Maybe Lei was being cruel, teasing her even when she knew she couldn't touch her. But part of her delighted in being able to draw these sounds from her. Warmth gathered between her legs, spreading. She knew she wanted more. And yet she couldn't have it. 

But one day. 

She knew one day. 

And on that day she'd take Wren and ravish her into the night. 

"What are you thinking about?" Wren breathed, voice almost hoarse. 

Her lips were slightly swollen, parting again to taste her breath. As if she wanted more. 

"You." 

A single word yet it carried so much weight. 

"You're beautiful," Wren whispered to her. “I could just look at you all night.” 

And she would never press her for more. 

Lei pressed her face into her neck and inhaled. Wren’s skin was soft against hers. The gentle thrum of her heartbeat against hers. Reassuring. 

Though fragmented memories flashed through her mind, split into her side like phantom pain, she could feel just Wren. 

She’d been alone that night. Wren had been alone on her nights. Locked in the dark room with him, they’d been alone. 

But they weren’t anymore. 

Slowly Wren let go of her hands and came to wrap around her waist. Holding her close. 

Their lives weren’t easy but for the first time, Lei didn’t mind. No matter what she went through now, Wren would be there. And she’d be there for Wren. 

“We’re okay,” Lei breathed, and a tremble ran through her girlfriend. “We’re okay.” 

Perhaps not yet but she promised it to the future. One day, they’d be okay. Soft fingers ran through her hair and then Wren kissed her forehead. 

“We are.” 

It was the small steps that counted, each one bringing her closer and closer to recovery. Tonight, she’d taken a huge step. The road of recovery was long but Wren and Lei would be together each step of the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. this is my first time writing something like this so if anything is insensitive or wrong, please let me know! 💜💜 Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a twoshot so please anticipate the next chapter! 💜💜


End file.
